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Jack's Alive

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Old Jack Kamping sits alone in a tent buried in the woods, entertaining a world of webcam viewers with his true tales of horror and survival. As a younger camper, the foreboding lands of the Purple Bishop, the Roving Range, and Footprint Island try to defeat him. Unknown to Jack, a covert military machine, fueled by corporate power and greed, wants to control him and unlock his unique abilities. Only Jack’s trust in Professor Scott and his love for Kim can help him confront his addictions and haunting guilt over the gruesome deaths of close friends, and defeat a flying demon known as “the Gilgamesh.” Discovering his biological origins—and the frightening truth to his curse—may be the only way for Jack to find peace, redemption, and revenge. All around the isolated lake and on Footprint Island, creatures gathered at the edge of the shore, silently watching the unchallenged queen of this region land in her massive nest. From a nearby tree, a gray owl named Elvis bobbed his head in anticipation, wondering how his friend Jack would survive.

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Published December 23, 2017

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Jerry Leake

24 books3 followers

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5 stars
15 (28%)
4 stars
22 (41%)
3 stars
11 (20%)
2 stars
4 (7%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Alicia Huxtable.
1,910 reviews60 followers
June 16, 2019
Wow! I couldn't get enough of this book. Edge of my seat reading from page 1 to the end. Jack was a very interesting character and his 'adventures' definately were inventive.
Profile Image for Jennifer Bourque (ButterflyReader77).
295 reviews17 followers
April 19, 2020
3 stars

I received a copy of Jack's Alive from Veracious Readers in exchange for an honest review, and honestly now that I am finished reading this book, I didn't really enjoy it. If I wasn't writing a review for it, I would have DNF'd it. 

I felt as though the story was kind of all over the place and couldn't find it's true genre. I don't even really know what the author was trying to accomplish for the overall plotline. The story had elements of horror, supernatural, and aliens. I have read books that combine these genres in a way that relates to the entire story, but Jack's Alive most definitely fell short for me.

The story started off strong but nose-dived from there. In the beginning of the book we are introduced to the main protagonist Jack Kamping. Jack is a story writer conducting a radio show interview from a remote location in the woods. In the interview he is telling some of his stories to the listeners, and after listening for a little bit, it becomes evident that the stories are in fact reality, and not fiction. The stories are all focused around Jack, his parents, and their experiences with a summer camp owned by them.

I was hoping for much more from the book and unfortunately it just didn't deliver. I enjoy books that have elements of horror supernatural plotlines and I sometimes even enjoy extra-terrestrial storylines, but with this particular story, I am left trying to figure out how they all came together. I am not sure if I missed something, or if the story failed to capture my attention to the point that I didn't understand what was happening. 

After I read the book, I read the book synopsis, as I often do. I don't usually read  the synopsis before the book. I enjoy the surprise of not knowing what I am going to get for a book. The synopsis for Jack's Alive explains that there is a military presence within the story, and now that I am finished, I can kind of see it within the story. Unfortunately I was not captivated by this book and I could very well have missed some key points to the story.

The one element of the story that I did enjoy was the description of the woods and the outdoor natural components. I enjoy being outside, camping and walking in the woods. The story definitely brought the nature components to the forefront.

After reading this book, I also read some of the other reviews, and I am not alone in my thoughts on the book. With that being said, I also noticed that a lot of other people enjoyed the book as well. If you enjoy books that take a strange turn of events and leave you thinking what is going on, this may be just the book for you. Every book is not always going to mesmerize every single reader. 
20 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2019
I got a free copy from Vocarious Readers Only. I couldnt read after a few pages. I couldnt understand a sentence in this book
Profile Image for Jenny.
68 reviews
January 24, 2020
I received a copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.

Jack's Alive tells the story of Jack Kamping. When we meet Jack for the first time, he is an author promoting his work via a radio station while he camps in the woods and this provides a framing device for the episodic stories about various times in Jacks life, all of which (so far!) involve camping and an Owl named Elvis.

I only made it a third of the way through the book before I gave up on it. By this point we have met older Jack, camping in the woods telling his tale, and heard about pre-teen Jack camping with the boy scouts, teenage Jack at an archery competition, young adult Jack working on an small island in a lake.

And yet, I couldn't really tell you much about Jack. He doesn't like his name as there are fairy tale connotations and thinks it is unusual and it runs into his surname (Kamping). There is something unusual about him - he is strong, fast, accurate. He is unpleasant, scaring one of his campmates to the point of soiling himself. There are no other major characters - the radio host interviewing him and an Owl are the only recurring characters so far and they are paper thin.

And I could tell you even less about the plot. There is some mystery to Jack and we have a hints through the story but there isn't enough to really engage me. I'm sure there is more to it, but a third of the way through the book and I don't really know what it is about.

The writing style I found awkward at times. Often I would read a sentance several times before understanding it - usually where a pronoun has been used rather than a name causing confusion as to who is doing what.

I think there is probably a good idea in Jack's Alive but it is such a hard slog to get to it that I just couldn't spend anymore time on it.
Profile Image for Emily Kelly.
185 reviews3 followers
October 26, 2018
I was sent a copy of this book by Voracious Readers Only, in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I do not know how to rate this book. I liked it, but I didn't enjoy it (I have no idea if that makes sense).

I thought this book was going to be about Demon Possession. With the 'spiritual necklace' weird dinosaur like creatures taunting Jack, all signs led to demons. However, it's not about Demon Possession, but...Aliens. I should have guessed when one chapter was named 'UFO crash landing.' But I was not sold on the alien story line, even after a big reveal.

Which does lead me onto the plot. The plot was interesting, and it started nice. It flowed nicely, you could see what was happening, sort of. I do feel like near the halfway point, the author had many ideas and decided to include everything he wanted, even if it had no relevance to the plot. For example, the introduction of two lady characters (I cannot remember there names right now). They were just there, and then not mentioned again. And I found them interesting. I like the little character introduction we got, but that was it.

Also the romance felt forced. I have a disliking for instalove, but also a disliking for forced romance. If you took the romantic interest out, it would be the same story.

Elvis the Owl was my favourite thing about this book. That's all I have to say about him.

I do not know whether giving it 3 stars in generous or not. I did like the book, the beginning was really good, but it just went down hill for me. I do think there will be people that will really enjoy this book. It just makes me a bit sad the plot faltered towards the end. But, people will enjoy this book, and I think the author has a lot of potential to improve.

:)
Profile Image for Bookworm.
601 reviews32 followers
March 12, 2020
I received a copy of this book from voracious readers in exchange for a review.

I'm a big confused about the ending as the final text appears before part 8, and then the book ends. Was that really the end?

This is a book detailing the life of a man named Jack Kamping, who appears go have strange things around him and possesses superhuman strength and a different physical makeup. He is being interviewed by some web bloggers and they are livestreaming it.

Unlike other reviewers I really didn't have that much trouble with the switching pronouns or the story, but I do agree the writing style is somewhat complex. I thought the story was interesting but it didn't really go anywhere. The best part for me was when Jack was a teenager and then in his early 20s on Footprint Island. I really enjoyed these parts. The ending really dragged and then came out of nowhere.

With a book not even 300 pages, it felt quite long. I found the plotline with James Bruce really interesting, I liked what they were trying to achieve. Unfortunately I think Jack was not characterised strongly enough to carry an entire book by himself. He is brave, strong, level-headed, but most of his character development takes place in the last 30% of the book. He has no revolutionary character relationships except with Kim and her character doesn't help to develop Jack much.

The copy of the book I had was quite weird and had highlighted sections. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book. I also found a typo or two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mcf1nder_sk.
600 reviews26 followers
April 15, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, Jack's Alive, from the author for review, thanks to my friends at @voraciousreadersonly. After reading the synopsis, I thought I had an idea where this story would go, but the author went in another direction. I don't quite know how to classify this novel; horror, supernatural our science fiction, but it had elements of all three, blended into a thoroughly enjoyable read.
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Out titular character, Jack Kamping, has gone through life with both a blessing and a curse. He is much stronger and has better senses than all of his peers, which come in handy with his curse; he seems to be a magnet for monsters. During an interview on a podcast specializing in things that go bump in the night, Jack tells us, and the audience, of his adventures.
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Leake has done what so many authors cannot; he has given us an original storyline. The author has also created characters, while not all lovable, that are believable and realistic (except for the super-strength and enhanced senses), with very human weaknesses and emotions. His writing is crisp and smooth, with very little unnecessary segments. The story's pace is just far enough too ensure the reader will not want to put the novel down. This book appeared too be a stand alone, but the ending ensures us that there will be a sequel, if not an entire series.
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My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
17 reviews
January 30, 2019
I like a good horror story but so many of them are driven by formula. Happily this is not the case with this captivating novel. Jack Kamping’s character is well developed throughout the tale and I cared about his life. I groaned out loud when he reached for the bottle.
I enjoyed the master campfire storyteller’s tales coming to life and then realising he was writing a memoir.
I loved Elvis. You’ll have to read it to find out who I’m talking about.
The landscape was well described and I could almost smell the air. Not always a good thing. As an amateur archer, I appreciated the Range and Jack’s weapon of choice. The calm, the poise... just a little bit Zen.
All in all an engaging read and I look forward to more from Jerry.
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
189 reviews3 followers
May 20, 2018
What a brilliantly entertaining story, loved it from the first chapters that pull you in to the closing chapters that leave you wanting more.
Loved the way the story unfolded as Jack weaves his tale while writing his own novel. The characters and landscapes are all so well described that it almost makes you want to spend the night under canvas yourself (as a lifelong fan of comfy beds and electricity only almost!!!) Without giving too much away its no wonder that poor Jack spends his twenties looking at the bottom of a whiskey bottle the trials and tribulations that the sad and somewhat lonely hero suffers.
Received a complimentary copy through Voracious Readers Only but would recommend this as a good, captivating story and will look out for more of this authors work.
Profile Image for Shelley Amazon ca reviews as Purrrplehaze .
512 reviews46 followers
November 24, 2018
What an adventure! From start to finish an epic ride of heart stopping action. Never knowing where you would end up until you got there. The characters were all relatable and for some of us, we can still feel the stings of camp days while reliving them - to a different degree thank goodness - in this journey that is the life of Jack Kamping.

I'm so glad that Jerry/Jack left the ending open for sequels. After all, based on Jack's origins, who could say how long his journey can last..

And I'm sorry to see Elvis go but I appreciate his noble ending.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my review.
138 reviews3 followers
December 24, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book from the author via voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review* I adored this book from start to finish it has great pacing, a great main character and fantastic story concept. It’s just one of those books that pulls you in and won’t let go. In places it was really gruesome and I’m not ashamed to admit I actually felt quite queasy in places but that just added to the effect. What I loved most about this book was the fact I never knew how it was going to end, with all the twists and turns it kept me guessing the whole way. I would definitely recommend this.
68 reviews1 follower
December 28, 2019
Although more like a series of loosely linked short stories than one connected tale, Leake writes well and keeps you enthralled and wondering what will happen next. He had me jumping at noises but thankfully not having nightmares. However I felt that The Purple Bishop finished a little abruptly and Footprint Island sometimes left me a little lost and I had to go back and reread a section to work out what was happening. I also felt the book would have ended better had the last part (VIII) been left off and perhaps used to begin a sequel.
Overall I enjoyed this book as something a little different.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Gail.
27 reviews
March 19, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of the book Jack’s Alive by author Jerry Leake through Voracious Readers Only group. Just finished the book and it was good from the first sentence to to the very last word !!! Suspenseful, creepy, horrific, tantalizing and dangerous. Kept me rapidly page turning the whole book . Definitely recommend it . I really think there are things in the world that are kept under government wraps from us mere citizens. Obviously we are not the only inhabitants on the planets. I’m a believer. I loved this book!
Profile Image for Lauren Dare.
26 reviews2 followers
April 21, 2019
I recently received a request to join voracious readers to receive review copies of books and this was my first choice. I found this book unlike anything I’ve read before. I thought the book was taking a supernatural plot line to only take a completely different plot altogether. A lot of the the storyline’s were a bit confusing til the end when reveal by reveal happened. Jack was a likeable character in that we came from a lot of trauma and can’t blame the way he is. I didn’t get the whole romance plot but was grateful he got to rise above the trials he faced victorious in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shannon.
112 reviews7 followers
August 15, 2019
I liked reading this story but at the same time it really isn't my cup of tea. But it was still a really good story and Jack was a really great character. The plot made me think that the reason behind all of the events were due to some supernatural force but while the force was still supernatural, it was not one that I ever expected. It actually surprised me about the twist of that, not many books/stories can pull that off; so kudos to the author for being able to lead his readers one way, only to give them a sharp left instead of a sharp right.
1 review
September 30, 2019
I was sent a copy of this book by Voracious Readers Only, in exchange for an honest review.
Like many others when I first started reading the book I thought it was going to be a supernatural adventure but it take a different twist at the end. The character development of jack was insightful and had you routing for him during his many encounters with danger! At times the story does feel disconnected and confusing but does come together to a proper conclusion by the end of the story.
Overall I found the book enjoyable and engaging and would recommend it!
7 reviews
October 2, 2019
For me this neither a good horror or a good science fiction and therefore felt a little let down. As with other reviews mine was a complimentary copy. I felt the beginning was a little weak and nearly gave up on it then. Somewhat cliched in parts I did feel like it was a b movie set. I didn’t like any of the characters and therefore didn’t worry about how they fared during the novel. I did finish it and believe that more science fiction would have improved it for me. Levi’s was definitely the highlight he should have had more lines.
Profile Image for Kairangi Solomon.
82 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2024
This book was recommended by Voracious Readers only.

This is a book that is not like any other i have read. It was most certainly captivating and original.

We follow Jack as he illustrates his peculiar life and his love of the great outdoors. We see his struggles and trials that starts from a tender age until well into his older years.
The various creatures we come across are quite terrifying and each has its own set of peculiarity.

The tone, pace, character development and plot were well written, it was a very enjoyable read.
12 reviews
June 10, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. There were numerous plot twists and just when you think you have things figured out, something happens to let you know you actually don't have a clue! It was very entertaining and disturbing in the same instant. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes horror mixed with "what if". Very well written! I read it straight thru. Great author and I look forward to more of his writings!
Profile Image for Di Bryan.
8 reviews
June 20, 2019
I received a complementary copy. I really enjoyed the first part of the book and found Jack's character interesting, though not very likable. the second part I found quite bitty with lots of details that needed to be developed so that I could understand why things had happened. It was almost like two separate books in one place.
9 reviews
July 20, 2019
I CANNOT! This book is seriously amazing! The characters, the adventures, the whole thing is so captivating! Literal page turner, author told me the ending was a wild ride, and damn was he right! Hoping for a sequel so I can immerse myself in more of Jack Kamping’s adventures! Definitely a must read!
402 reviews2 followers
November 15, 2019
Starts off a bit slow, but keeps you on your toes. I've never gone to camp, so I learned a bit about different games played. Fun mix of science, mythology and horror. I wasn't expecting such in depth explanations that flowed with the story. Lots of action, leaving little doubt to the title. Curious if there's gonna be a sequel.
1 review
April 30, 2020
I received a free copy on Vicarious Readers Only. I was hooked after just a few pages. The main character Jack was likable yet quircky. The author has the great ability of telling details so you feel connected and it makes you eager to see what is going to happen next. I couldn't put the book down. Definitely would recommend!
Profile Image for J.E. Friend.
Author 4 books14 followers
June 13, 2018
Jack’s Alive follows the odd life of Jack Kamping. Jack’s youth reads like a travesty caught between reality and science fiction. All to often those around him come to an untimely and gruesome end.
The story jumped around a little too much for my taste. Stepping forward and backwards in time as Jack retells his experiences.
The writing is strong and the story line interesting, tying realism with a sci-fi twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
13 reviews
June 6, 2018
It was an alright book. I enjoyed the creepy story and the surprise ending. However it was a bit annoying to read as it jumps between things (not wanting to spoil for anyone XD). It took me out of my focus and my "zone". All in all, a decent book!
1 review
January 27, 2019
After reading this, it was very well written and interesting but it took a couple of pages for me to really sink into the book. I would recommend reading, but don't give up after 1 page, give it 2-3 pages to get into the book.
90 reviews5 followers
November 13, 2019
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole read. I am not sure how to classify it as there are so many different genres all rolled into one. But it was a great read for anyone who loves fantasy. Or maybe supernatural! I received my copy from voracious readers for my review.
Profile Image for Kayleen.
36 reviews1 follower
June 16, 2020
I received this book free from Voracious Readers. While I had a few technical issues. A few Sentences missing and just white lines there instead I quite enjoyed this book. Nice little flashback twist at the end. Would recommend
4 reviews
September 25, 2020
I recieved a free copy of Jack's Alive.
I breezed through it at a good pace. I was confused at times, trying to keep characters straight. The ending was a little rushed and disappointing but , albin all, I enjoyed the premise
Profile Image for Hannah Johnson.
202 reviews3 followers
November 12, 2020
I received a copy of this book from voracious readers only and like many others i just couldn't get into the book.

It felt very jumpy at times and I just couldn't connect with the characters or the storyline very well.
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